Cable-railway.



J. M. MOGLELLON- CABLE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 24:, 1910.

. 931 Patented May 19, 1914.

"2 2508 6407" Jiemes 171: 12454101,

LEE/W7 v J. M. MoCLELLON.

GABLB RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED 00m. 24, 1010.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 19, 1914.

.ULUMUIA PLANOOMAPH :0 WASHINGTON l). c.

J. M. MoOLELLON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 24, 1910.

Patented May 19, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. M. MOGLELLON.

CABLE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1910.

Patented May 19, 1914.

4 SHEETBBHEET 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES M. MCCLELLON, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MEAD-MORRISON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

CABLE-RAILWAY.

To all 107107771615 may concern Be it known that I, JAMES M. WoCLnLLoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cable-Railways, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to cable railways and especially to that type of cable railways that is used in propelling box or other cars adapted to contain coal, coke, dirt, rocks, and similar material.

The object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the gripping of the car to the cable while the car is in motion. In the operation of cable railways of this nature it is sometimes necessary to release the grip of each car from the cable as the car reaches a certain point in the track, as, for instance, at the point where the cable is diverted from the track to the cable-driving mechanism, and then to grip the car to the cable again at a point farther on.

Devices have been invented and are now in common use for automatically releasing the grip from the cable when the car reaches a certain point on the track, such devices operating merely to open the jaws of the grip so that the cable will drop out of them. The gripping of the car to the cable again presents more difficulties, however, because the gripping jaws are usually situated somewhat above the level at which the cable normally travels, and before the grip can be closed onto the cable the latter has to be brought to the level of the grip.

One method which has been in use heretofore for gripping the car to the cable again while the car is in motion is for a workman to get hold of the cable with a hook and elevate it to the level of the grip, and for another workman to operate the grip-actuating mechanism to cause the grip to close onto the cable. This operation of lifting the cable and gripping the car thereto while the car is in motion is not only somewhat difficult of accomplishment, but is sometimes more or less dangerous for the workman, especially if the cars are following each other on the track at frequent intervals.

My invention has for its object to provide means whereby the grip can be readily Specification of Letters Patent.

App1ication fi1ed October 24, 1910.

Patented May 19, 1914..

Serial No. 588,640.

gripped to the cable while the car is in motion and without subjecting the operatives to any danger.

I will first describe some embodiments of my invention which have been selected to illustrate the principle thereof and will then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a portion of a cable railway embodying my invention with a car thereon; Fig. 2 1s an enlarged view of a portion of the railway showing a portion of the car thereon; Fig. 3 is an end view of the car gripped to the cable; Fig. 4 is an end view of the ear with the grip released; Fig. 5 is a plan View of a portion of the track showin in full lines the position of the grip just be ore it is released from the cable; Fig. 6 is a similar View showing the position of the grip as it is about to be gripped to the cable; Fig. 7 shows a construction of cable railway slightly different from that shown in Fig. 1, but embodying my invention; Fig. 8 shows an automatic grip-operating device embody- 1ng my invention but having a slightly cliffercnt construction from that shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings 3 designates a track, 4 a cable car traveling thereon and provided with a grip 5 of suitable construction which is located at the rear of the car behind the rear wheels thereof, and 0 designates the cable by which the car is propelled. The grip 5 may be of any appropriate construction and that herein shown comprises the two gripping jaws 7 and 8 that are hinged to a. bracket at 9, and 10, respectively, and are provided with upwardly-extending arms 11 and 12 that are connected by a togglelever 13 which is connected by a link 14 with a lever 15 secured to a shaft 10 that is journalcd to the car. By depressing the lever into the position shown in Fig. 2, the toggle will be straightened and the gripping jaws will be clamped together while by elevating the lever into the position shown in Fig. 1, the jaws will be opened. This grip forms no part of my present invention and is one which is now more or less commonly used. In cable railways of this nature it is frequently necessary to disconnect the grip from the cable when the car reaches a predetermined point in the track and after the car has coasted over this portion of the track tration of the necessity for releasing the grip from the cable at a predetermined point on the track is aiforded by the usual construction of the driving mechanism for the cable 6, it being common to drive this cable by diverting it from the trackway at some point therein and leading it to a drum or other driving mechanism and then bringing it back to the track again, said cable passing over direction sheaves at the point where it is led from and comes back again to the track.

In the drawings I have illustrated at 17 and 18 two direction sheaves over which the cable passes, said cable passing from the track over the direction sheave 18 to the driving mechanism 90, and then passing over the sheave 17 as it returns from the driving mechanism to the plane of the track. It will be obvious that when the car is passing in the direction of the arrow a in Figs. 1 and 2 it will be necessary to release the grip from the cable before the grip reaches the direction sheave 18, and in order to cause the car to continue its journey, said car must be again gripped to the cable at a point farther on. I have herein shown the sheave 17 as situated back of the sheave 18 so that there will be two portions of the cable in the trackway between said sheaves, and when this construction is employed, the two sheaves 17 and 18 will be situated out of line with each other so that the two portions of the cable will not interfere with each other- It is sometimes the practice, however, to place the sheave 17, over which the cable returns to the track, at a point beyond the sheave 18, in which case said sheaves might be situated in line with each other.

As stated above, devices are now in use for automatically releasing the grip from the cable at a predetermined point in the track, and one such device is illustrated in the drawings and comprises an arm or lever 20 pivoted to the side of the car at 21 and connected by a link 22 to an arm 23 fast on the rock-shaft 16, and a fixed member 9A: stationed at the side of the track and adapted to be engaged by the upperend of the arm 20 as the car moves forward. The engagement of the arm 20 with the fixed member as will turn the shaft 16 and thus loosen the grip, as will be readily observed. The type of grip usually employed on cars of this nature is one which has no vertical movement relative to the car, and in order to grip the car again to the cable, it has heretofore been customary for one operator to lift the cable by means of a hook into position to be en gaged by the grip and then for another operator to swing the lever 15 downwardly to cause the grip to bite the cable.

It has also been proposed to provide the track on which runs a cable car having a centrally-situated grip with a depressed portion so that when the car runs onto the depressed portion the grip will be brought into alinement with the cable, an example of such a. device being illustrated in United States Patent No. 769,911, granted on application of Horatio S. Moore September 13, 190 1.

My invention provides a novel' construc tion of track having a depressed portion which serves to bring the grip and the cable into proper position relative to each other, and in one embodiment of my invention the construction is such that after the grip has been opened to release the cable and while thecar is passing to the position where the cable is to be gripped again, said grip will be elevated above its normal position and thus kept entirely free and clear from thecables until it is depressed into position to grip the cable again.

In Figs 1 and 2 I have shown an embodiment of the invention having the depressed portion of track 27 onto which the car passes when the cable is to be gripped again. This depressed portion of track 27 is connected to the main portion of the track by a comparatively short incline portion 270 and said depressed portion 27 is at such a level that when the car passes onto it the cable-receiving groove in the jaws 7 and 8 will be at approximately the level of the cable, and said jaws may be gripped onto the cable by simply operating the shaft 16. Where the depressed track is used, I propose to place this track immediately beyond the point where the grip is released from the cable so that the grip will be released just prior to the time when the front wheels of the car pass onto the incline portion 270 of the track. When the front wheels of the car do thus pass down the incline 270 onto the depressed portion of the track, as shown in Fig. 1, the car will be tipped downwardly at its front end, and upwardly at its rear end, and as the grip is situated somewhat back of the rear wheels, this movement of the car will raise the grip above its normal level and high enough to entirely clear the portions of the cable between the sheaves 17 and '18 and also the roll 31. As the rear Wheels pass onto the depressed portion 27 of thetrack the grip 5 is brought down into the dotted line position Fig. 2, in which position the jaws are on a level with the cable 6 so that when the rock-shaft 16 is turned, said 'jaws will grip the cable.

To assist in bringing the jaws of the grip to the proper position either side of the cable when the car passes onto the depressed portion 27 of the track, I prefer to employ the guides 32 which are situated either side of the grip and are preferably provided with the flared ends 33. These guides are so situated that as the grip moves clownwardly when the rear wheels of the car pass onto the depressed portion 27 of the track the jaws of the grip will enter between the guides 32 and the latter will prevent any lateral movement of the grip. The cable 6 at this point is held centrally of the track by a proper direction sheave 34 so that as the rip descends the cable will invariably enter between the jaws thereof.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated another embodiment of the invention wherein the displaced position vertically of the cable and track is secured by maintaining a portion of the cable at a higher level relative to the track than it is at other portions of the track. In this embodiment the cable 6 is carried over a sheave l0 which is situated at such a level that the portion 41 ofthe cable is considerably higher relative to the track than the other portions of the cable. I have also shown the tram: as provided with a rise 42 adjacent the sheave 20 so that at the upper end of the rise the track is brought baclc again to the level of the cable. iVith this construction it will be seen that as the car travels over the track and the front wheels run up the incline 4-2, as illustrated in Fig. 7, the car is tipped downwardly at its rear end and just at the time that the rear wheels reach the bottom of the incline 42 the wire-receiving grooves in the jaws of the grip will be brought to the same level as the cable, so that by simply operating the shaft 16 the jaws may be closed onto the cable. In both of the embodiments above described the cable and the jaws are brought to such a vertical position relative to each other that the jaws can be closed onto the cable without the necessity of using a hook or other crude implement for manually raising the cable.

When the jaws of the grip and the cable are in the proper relative position vertically to permit the jaws to grip the cable said jaws may be gripped onto the cable by manipulating the lever 15 manually or by. some suitable automatic means which will operate to turn the shaft 16 at this point.

My invention contemplates either manner of operating the grip. I have illustrated in the drawing, however, two ways in which the grip may be automatically closed onto the cable at the proper point. One mechanism for accomplishing this is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and comprises a lever 38 rigid with and extending from the rock-shaft 16, and a fixed abutment or stop 39 situated at the proper point along the track and positioned so that as the car moves the lever or arm 38 will engage it and thereby be turned from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2. The stop 38 may have any suitable construction, but I have n'eterably EOID'IBCl it with a nose portion 46 against which the arm 39 impinges near its upper end and with the resilient portion 47 on its under side and under which the end of the lever 38 wipes as the car moves forward. The purpose of this resilient portion l7 is to insure that the tog les oi the grip will be completely straightened and to provide for any slight discrepancies in the size of the car.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a different device for automatically closing the grip and which comprises an arm 50 rigid with and extending downwardly from the lever 20 and a stop or abutment 5i situated at the side oi. the track and against which the lower end of the arm 50 impinges as the car moves forward. It will be obvious that when the lower end 50 o l the arm engages a stop the lever 20 will be turned in the opposite direction from what it is by its en agement with the stop 24 and the jaws oi: the grip will thus be closed. I prefer to make the stop 51 a yielding stop, and have shown it pivoted to a fixed framework at 54; and as having a weight 55 hung therelron'i which normally tends to hold it in upright position. When the arm 50 engages the stop 51, said arm will be turned thereby closing the jaws and when the jaws are completely closed then during further movement of the car the stop 51 will be turned into the full line position Fig. 8, and the weight 55 will act to prevent any rebound oi the jaws or toggle lever and will also compensate for any inaccuracies in the height of the car.

I prefer to so arrange the means for opening the jaws of the grip relative to the means for closing said jaws that the jaws will be opened at the proper time and will be held opened until the car reaches such a point on the track that the aws of the grip and the cable are at the same level, at which point the jaw-closing mechanism comes into operation. I accon'iplish this herein by placing the stop 24 at the proper point and then extending said step so that as the car passes thereunder the lever 20 will be held in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the jaws will thereby be held open positively until said lever passes out from under the stop. This step is of such a length that the lever 20 will pass out from under it just when the car reaches a point on the track in which the cable and grip are at the same level, and the stop 39 is so positioned that just at this time the lever 38 will come against the nose 4-6 and the operation of closing the jaws will begin.

My invention is not confined to this particular manner of holding the jaws open positively until the cable and grip are at the same level, as a spring catch, counterweight, or any other equivalent device n'light be used for this purpose without departing from the invention. The elongated stop 2% is a convenient way of accomplishing the invention, however.

It will thus be seen that my invention includes as one feature thereof means whereby the gripping jaws will be released automatically and then will be held open until said jaws and the cable are brought to the same level at which time the jaws are in position to be closed onto the cable again either automatically or by hand.

As stated above there is an important advantage secured by placing the grip 5 at the rear of the car behind-the rear wheel, and in making the incline portion of track 20 comparatively short so that when the car passes from the main portion of track onto the incline portion it will be tipped. down at its front end and upwardly at its rear end, as shown in Fig. 1, thus elevating the grip 5 above its normal position, so that said grip will be entirely free and clear from the cable, and there will be no possibility of its becoming fouled in the cable while the car is passing from one portion of the cable to the other. One feature of my invention relates to means for causing the grip to have first an elevating movement away from the cable after the cable has been released therefrom and while the car is passing from one portion of the cable to another and then to have a depressing movement su'llicient to bring it into alinement with the cable again.

hile the particular embodiments of the invention herein illustrated have been desi ned primarily for use in connection with industrial cable railways, yet it will be readily understood that the invention can equally well be used with a cable railway de signed for carrying passengers or for any purpose whatever.

I have not attempted to show in the drawings all embodiments of my invention, but have merely selected some characteristic embodiments from which the principle of the invention can be readily revealed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a cable railway, the combination with a track having a depressed portion, of a car on the traclr, a car-propelling cable, a able grip on the car, a rock shaft carried by the car and by which said grip is operated, an arm pivoted to the car and connected to the rock shaft, fixed stop situated to engage said arm and thereby open the grip as the car approaches the depressed portion of the track, a second arm secured to the rock shaft, and another stop to engage said arm when the car passes onto the depressed portion whereby the grip is closed again.

In. a cable railway, the combination with a track having a depressed portion, of a carpropelling cable, a car on the track provided with a grip, a rock shaft on the car by which the grip is opened and closed, two

rection to open the grip before the car reaches the depressed portion of the track,

and other means to turn the rock shaft in the opposite direction to close the grip when i the car arrives on the depressed portion.

a car 011 the track provided with a grip, a rock shaft carried by the car and connected to the grip thereby to open and close the latter, and means acting first to turn said rock shaft in one direction to open the grip and subsequently to turn said rock shaft in the other direction to close the grip.

5. In a. cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable eX-- tending longitudinally of the track, a car on the track, a grip on the car having a fixed position relative thereto, means for releasing the grip from the cable, and means for causing the grip to have first an upward movement away from the cable after the cable has been released therefrom and then a downward vertical movement sufficient to bring said grip into position to engage the cable.

6. In a cable railway, the combination with a. track, of a car-propelling cable hav- 7 V t. In a cable railway, the combination with a track and a car-propelling cable, of-

ing two separated portions, a car on the track, a gripon the car having a fixed position relative thereto which is above the normal level at which the cable travels,

means to open the grip, and means for causing the grip to have first an upward move ment relative to the cable after the cable has been released therefrom and while the car is passing from one portion of the cable to the other and then to have a downward niovem-ent relative to the cable suthcient to bring said grip into position to engage the cable.

7. In a cable railway, the combination with a track, of a car-propelling cable having two separated portions, the contiguous ends of which overlap each other, a'car on the track, a grip on the car having a fixed,

position relative thereto, means to open the grip as the car approaches said overlapping portions of cable, and means to cause the grip to have an upward movement away from the cable after the cable has been released therefrom and while the car is passing over said overlapping portions and then Cir to have a downward movement relative to the cable sutiicient to bring it into position to engage the latter.

8. In a cable railway, the combination with a track having a main portion and a depressed portion connected by a comparatively short incline portion, of a cable, a car on the track having front and rear wheels situated a distance apart at least as great as the length of said incline portion, a grip on the rear end of the car, and means to open the grip as the ear approaches said incline portion of track, said incline causing the car to tilt as the front wheels pass down it whereby the grip is elevated above its normal position and said grip being brought into alinen'ient with the cablewhen the rear wheels of the car pass down the incline onto the depressed portion of the track.

9.111 a cable 'ailway, the combination with a track having a main portion and a depressed portion connected by a compara tively short incline portion, of a cable, a car on the track having front and rear wheels situated a distance apart at least as great as the length of said incline portion, a grip on the rear end of the car, means to open the grip as the car approaches said incline portion of track, said incline causing the car to tilt as the front wheels pass down it whereby the grip is elevated above its normal position and said grip being brought into alinement with the cable when the rear wheels of the car pass down the incline onto the depressed portion of the track, and means to close the grip onto the cable again.

10. In a cable railway, the combination with a track having a main portion and a depressed portion connected by a comparatively short incline, of a cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car at the rear thereof, means to open said grip as the car approaches said incline portion, the latter having such a length relative to the car that when the front wheels of the car pass down said incline the car will be tilted thereby to elevate the grip above the cable. said grip being brought into alinemcnt with the cable when the rear wheels pass onto said dopressed portion.

11. In a cable railway, the combination with a track having a main portion and a comparatively short incline portion, of a cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car at one end thereof, means to open the grip as the car approaches said incline portion, the latter having such a length relative to the car that when the front wheels of the car pass over said incline portion the car will be tilted thereby elevating the grip above its normal position.

12. In a cable railway, the combination with a track having a main portion and a depressed portion with a comparatively short incline portion between said main and depressed portion, of a car-propelling cable, a car on the track, a grip on the car at one end thereof, means to open the grip as the car approaches said incline portion of track, the latter having such a length relative to the car that when the front wheels of the car pass thereover the car will be tilted thereby to elevate the grip above its normal position, and means to close the grip again when the car has passed entirely onto said depressed portion.

13. In a cable railway, the combination with a track having a main portion and a depressed portion connected by an incline portion, of a car on the track, a grip on the rear end of the car, a cable having two separated portions situated so that the grip passes from one to the other thereof as the car passes down the said incline portion of track onto the depressed portion, and means to open the grip as the car approaches said incline portion, the latter having such a length relative to the car that when the car starts down the incline said car is tilted to elevate the rear end and lift the grip above its normal position while it is passing from one to the other portion of the cable, said grip being brought into alinement with the cable when the car passes completely onto said depressed portion of track.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES M. MOCLELLON. l'Vitnesses LOUIS 0. Saturn FREDERICK S. GRnnNLnAr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

